


no man is without a shadow

by bank



Category: Mr. Robot (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Domestic Violence, M/M, Season/Series 02 Spoilers, Tyrell-centric, tyrelliot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-23
Updated: 2016-09-23
Packaged: 2018-08-16 21:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8117488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bank/pseuds/bank
Summary: Spoilers for the season finale. Tyrell is a fucking mess.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written anything with a proper plot and this one is no exception lol. Basically had to get out some emotions after that finale.

Tyrell thought he knew himself, until he met Elliot.

Elliot is a ghost, sent to torment Tyrell. He could see him wrapped in darkness, crying out _uhuuu-huhuu_ , haunting Tyrell. If he answered, would he hear? _Uhuuu-huhuuu_ , he calls back, but to his horror, scares the ghost away. Tyrell's alone again, in the darkness, crying out _uhuuu-huhuu-uuuu_...

It's a dream he often dreams after meeting the man; perhaps even before that, but it was a stranger back then and not a slight man with tired eyes, hiding. It's a dream he remembers vividly right after waking up, the image almost tangible and he has to bite his fist to stifle a sob; by noon he can only recall the dream hazily, by evening it's entirely missing.

 _So much depends upon a red wheel barrow, glazed with rain water, beside the white chickens_ , his father often told him. It's one of the few things Tyrell still clearly remembers about him. Not his face or his voice or his hands, but the silly poem.

He had loved his father, like all good sons, but the old man was weak and Tyrell would never forgive him that. He was impatient and insecure, and his drinking only made it worse. Tyrell's mother would take all the punches yet Tyrell had had no symphathy for her. Why did she always have to rile him up? Why did she yell at him for arriving home too late, for raising his voice at her, at Tyrell? She seemed to purposefully test her husband's patience when she could have stayed quiet and wait for the storm to pass. The bruises were her own fault, she might've as well done it herself, Tyrell thought.

Later, much later at night, she would come to Tyrell's room and brush her cold fingers over his cheeks, and he would pretend to be asleep, resentful of her.

Truthfully, it was not all bad. Looking back at his childhood, Tyrell would consider it a rather happy one. When it was good, all three of them together, it was good for real.

Afterward, when his mother passed, his father took the anger out on his son and Tyrell had to bitterly admit that turning the other cheek didn't make any damn difference.

Tyrell thought he knew Elliot, until he met Mr Robot.

It was still Elliot for sure, the same hair and eyes, even the ever present hoodie; and the same time it wasn't _Elliot_  at all, this wasn't his air or face, these words were someone else's. He - whoever he was - made Tyrell feel small and insignificant before giving him a higher purpose and making him a part of something so much more important.

Once Tyrell had intimidated Elliot and, he has to admit, had enjoyed looming over the smaller man, making him anxiously sweat and fidget. Now, they were partners. Not equals, since Tyrell basically worshipped the ground Elliot walked on, but allies nonetheless.

So when Elliot tells him to shoot whoever tries to stop the execution of their plan, their mission, Tyrell promises that he will. And when he pulls the trigger, it hurts and tastes terribly wrong and _oh my god, is this what loving someone feels like?_  It wasn't supposed to be Elliot, not ever, but here he is and Elliot's strange behaviour begins to make some sense, maybe.

The voice is still yelling _you're not real, you're not real_ , so Tyrell cries as he watches Elliot get taken away and he cries again when he calls Angela, darkness growing around him like a tree.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> 


End file.
